'Rainbows' has critics over the moon

4:00 AM PST 12/18/2007
by
Matt Gornick, Billboard
,
AP

Empty

NEW YORK -- The results are in: Radiohead's self-released album "In Rainbows" has won the 2007 Billboard Critics' Choice poll by a landslide. The album appeared on 17 of the 49 lists submitted by Billboard staff and freelance contributors.

An inverse point system was used to calculate the final rankings. For example, an album listed at No. 1 on a critics' top 10 list received 10 points; No. 2, nine points; down through No. 10, which received one point.

"In Rainbows" was unmatched with 106 points, while the Arcade Fire's "Neon Bible" (Merge) and Amy Winehouse's "Back to Black" (Universal Republic), both sophomore efforts, made for a distant second and third with 57 and 56 points, respectively.

Robert Plant and Alison Krauss' "Raising Sand" (Rounder) snagged the No. 4 spot with 48 points, while also receiving the most No. 1 rankings, with three. The National's "Boxer" (Beggars Banquet) and Feist's "The Reminder" (Cherry Tree/Interscope) trailed close behind in fifth and sixth place, respectively.